Ex-funeral home owner found guilty in theft case

STOCKTON - The former owner of Thompson's Funeral Home in Stockton was found guilty Thursday of theft from an elder, grand theft and elder abuse.

Jennie Rodriguez-Moore

STOCKTON - The former owner of Thompson's Funeral Home in Stockton was found guilty Thursday of theft from an elder, grand theft and elder abuse.

Reginald Thompson stole about $20,000 from at least seven customers who had paid him for funeral pre-arrangements that he never delivered.

"It's just unfortunate that we had to go to trial to get these convictions and I had to put these elders through the stress of coming into court and testifying in front of a jury," said Deputy District Attorney Sherri Adams.

Thompson used the money for personal and general business expenses, Adams said. He was supposed to deposit the funds into trust accounts or insurance policies for his customers.

"He did not deny that he did not put the money into any trust account or insurance (account)," Adams said.

Thompson also used the payments to cover costs of other funerals; some were for families who couldn't afford arrangements but received services on credit.

Thompson shut down his business, formerly at 2118 Lafayette St., leaving pre-paid clients in the dark about their investments.

Some had given him up to $5,000, Adams said. Most of the victims are on fixed incomes. They had made payments to the funeral home over a period of time or placed it on credit cards.

"It was very hard on all the witnesses who testified because you're reliving your loved one's death," Adams said. "And others are talking about their own death and how their money is now gone, and how they have to come up with this money again."

Adams said there are a number of other victims whose cases against Thompson didn't make it to court.

Following the verdict reading, the defense argued for Thompson to remain out of custody until his sentencing, saying he has made a positive impact on so many people in the community.

San Joaquin County Superior Court Judge Xapuri Villapudua said it was clear Thompson did have support in the community. Villapudua did not remand him to jail immediately, she said, because she does not feel he is a danger to society.

Thompson, who declined to comment, is scheduled for sentencing April 8. He falls under AB109 state sentencing for "non-serious, non-violent, non-sexual" offenses, meaning he will either do time at the county jail or county supervision, or a combination, instead of heading to a state prison.

A jury found him guilty of five counts of theft from an elder, four of them felonies and one a misdemeanor; felony grand theft for money owed to Lodi Memorial Cemetery; and two other misdemeanors, including elder abuse.

Prosecutors want the public to learn from this case to protect themselves from predatory funeral businesses. Double-check and verify pre-arrangements. Contact the insurer, the cemetery and the trust, they said.